Investments are set to drive growth at Customs Support in Marseille

Customs services leader adds SPTT in Marseille and Tournebize in Fos-sur-Mer to its family of companies

The Vieux Port of Marseille... Along with being a postcard-perfect image, this iconic spot in Marseille is also home to the headquarters of the Société Phocéenne de Transports et de Transit (SPTT), which was acquired by the Dutch company Customs Support in July 2021. Customs Support, a full-service customs compliance company, is banking on the growth potential of the Port of Marseille Fos as the gateway to the Schengen Area economic zone and its proximity to import-export flows to increase its market share.

As a border control point for cargo and merchandise, the Port of Marseille Fos was seen as a promising location for Customs Support, a customs broker founded in 1999 in Rotterdam. “Marseille is an important entry point for goods. It was essential to have a presence in Provence and in a region that is undergoing broad economic development and has high growth potential,” says Stephan Hoffert, Custom Support’s Business Development Director for France.

In July 2021, Customs Support strengthened its foothold in the French market by simultaneously taking over Société Phocéenne de Transports et de Transit, a Marseille-based company with five employees, and the Fos-sur-Mer branch of Tournebize, a company with its headquarters in Lyon.

€80 000 investment in digitalization

Customs Support’s network in France now includes nine agencies and employs 50 people. “We are going to capitalize on the influence of SPTT, which is a well-known company in its field. The manager wanted to retire. We’ve taken over a friendly, close-knit team and strengthened the sales department with the arrival of a Kedge Business School graduate and the appointment of Virginie Lamou as branch manager. The computer system has also been upgraded. There’s been an €80 000 investment to replace workstations, upgrade the connection to the server, and improve archiving and interfacing with customs software and the port’s computers (Port Community Systems). After that, we trained our staff,” explains Sébastien Viard, Custom Support’s Managing Director for France.

Provence Promotion celebrated Custom Support’s investment in the Aix-Marseille metro area with an Invest in Provence award that was given to the company this past January. “I would like to applaud the involvement of local economic stakeholders in helping companies and promoting investors,” says Stephan Hoffert.

The Société Phocéenne de Transports et de Transit has a turnover of €1.2 million, with 10% coming from transport commission services and 90% from customs formalities. Customs support is a little-known business, but it is essential to the global supply chain. “Our role consists of facilitating international trade and offering expertise in customs regulations, as we have full knowledge of the many particularities (hazardous materials, alcohol, foodstuffs, etc.). We even advise importers and manufacturers on strategies for purchasing goods in accordance with trade agreements,” add Stephan Hoffert and Sébastien Viard.

By using an independent group rather than an express carrier, shippers can save on customs and transportation.

Customs Support processes an average of 10 million customs declarations annually, from industrial components to fruit and vegetables, live animals, and even a cruise ship!

The company employs 2000 people, and in 2021 it generated close to €200 million in revenues from activities in 13 countries.